16 August 2022
Holidaymakers and residents across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are being urged to make a small donation that will go a long way to helping local people who are experiencing homelessness this summer.
While the plight of people who are sleeping rough commonly comes to the fore in the run up to Christmas, the summer months can be tough for those with nowhere to call home – especially with the recent heatwave and the rising cost of essential food items.
The Homelessness Partnership for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, made up of local charities, businesses and public sector organisations, is working hard to ensure that people living on the streets are not forgotten as the region gears-up for its annual influx of summertime visitors.
Under the Change for Good initiative, specially installed contactless ‘giving points’ across the conurbation enable people to quickly and easily donate £3 simply by tapping their bank card. One hundred per cent of money received goes to helping local people to move away from rough sleeping, and begin the journey to rebuild their lives for the better.
Alistair Doxat-Purser, chair of the Partnership Forum, said: “With the cost-of-living crisis biting, greater numbers of people are holidaying in the UK this summer and those who are taking a break in the BCP area may witness people rough sleeping. Visitors and residents often wonder what they can do when they see someone sleeping on the streets, but are unsure of the best way to help.
“Since the Covid-19 pandemic, fewer people have been carrying cash, with a switch towards contactless payments – a trend that makes donating towards ending homelessness even easier. For the same price as a holiday souvenir or a couple of ice creams, our special ‘giving points’ make the process of contactless donating fast and secure,” Alistair explained.
Please donate at our ‘giving points’
‘Giving points’ have been sited at convenient locations across the BCP region, where a quick tap of a contactless card can make a real difference to the life of someone with no fixed address.
All donations go into the Change for Good fund that is independently managed by Dorset Community Foundation (DCF). The contactless giving points alone have raised more than £2,000 since their initial roll-out in 2021, while the DCF has given out more than £8,000 in the last two years to local agencies who work directly with people escaping homelessness, complementing the statutory support from the council.
Donations can also be made via the Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/changeforgoodBournemouth.
Residents and visitors can report concerns about people who are rough sleeping to St Mungo’s on 01202 315962. Concerns can also be emailed to the BCP Street Outreach Service: b&pstreetoutreach@mungos.org
About the Homelessness Partnership
The Partnership is made up of individuals with lived experience of homelessness, plus over 40 organisations and agencies (Council, Police, Health and Probation), businesses, charities, faith groups, universities and educational institutions. It calls on all citizens and organisations to join together ‘To end homelessness in the BCP area by ensuring everyone has a safe place to live that they can call home.’
